Sport FRIDAY 18 SEPTEMBER 2020 15 Yorkshire Buzz missing but IPL aims to lose 4 players after positive bring normality amid pandemic result REUTERS - LONDON REUTERS - ABU DHABI some notable absentees at this year’s Four Yorkshire players, After months of uncertainty due event. including David Willey, will to the COVID-19 pandemic, the The English duo of miss their two remaining delayed season of the popular Chris Woakes and Vitality Blast group matches Indian Premier League will kick Jason Roy, Sri Lanka after the England all-rounder off in the United Arab Emirates pace spearhead Lasith tested positive for COVID-19. tomorrow with a clash between Malinga and the Indian Yorkshire said in a defending champions Mumbai pair of Suresh Raina statement on Wednesday that Indians and Chennai Super and Harbhajan Singh Matthew Fisher, Tom Kohler- Kings. have all pulled out of Cadmore, Josh Poysden and The 2020 edition of the the tournament citing Willey had been advised to world’s richest Twenty20 personal reasons. self-isolate for two weeks after league was originally scheduled The Rohit Sharma- a positive test was received to begin on March 29 in India led Mumbai Indians, within the squad. but had to be postponed indef- bio-secure bubbles in Dubai, their television sets,” former against Chinese companies in who beat Chennai by one run Willey later confirmed he initely by the country’s cricket Sharjah and Abu Dhabi in front India captain Ganguly said. India and a weak business envi- in last year’s final to win their had tested positive. board (BCCI) due to worsening of empty stands but organisers “There is a positive in ronment following the pan- fourth title in seven years, once “My wife and I received situation of the pandemic. are hoping to allow some fans everything.” demic, smartphone maker Vivo again look the team to beat with positive COVID test results. IPL’s cancellation would during the later stages of the It will not be the first time pulled out of this year’s edition. a balanced squad. Gutted to be missing the have meant a potential $534m tournament, which will end on that the competition has had to Fantasy gaming company Chennai, led my their char- remaining games,” the loss in revenue, leading the Nov. 10. be held outside India. Dream11 came in as a ismatic captain Mahendra Singh 30-year-old wrote on Twitter. board to shift the tournament While it will be impossible The 2009 edition took place replacement, paying the league Dhoni, will have to find a way “Even more devastated out of India, which is the world’s to create the usual carnival-like in South Africa as it coincided 50% less than Vivo, which had to compensate for the absence that having been in contact second-worst affected country atmosphere in the stands, BCCI with India’s general elections secured the 2018-2022 rights of experienced Raina and Har- with the other three lads Sat- with over 5 million cases of chief Sourav Ganguly felt and the UAE hosted the early for nearly $293m. bhajan if they are to win a urday morning (before we had coronavirus infections. organising the event was an matches of the eight-team tour- “When you encounter such fourth title and match Mumbai symptoms) means they’re at The postponement of this attempt to bring normality to nament five years later for the challenging times and the tour- as the most successful side in risk and unavailable too.” year’s Twenty20 World Cup in people’s life in India, which has same reason. nament faced such impedi- the IPL. The four players missed Australia because of the pan- been battered by the virus. But finding a host country ments, you are bound to lose on Captained by India skipper Yorkshire’s 43-run defeat by demic also helped. It presented “Crowds will watch it on tel- was not the only challenge in certain revenues,” BCCI Virat Kohli, Royal Challengers Durham on Wednesday and a window in the international evision... they (broadcasters) are organising the IPL for the pow- treasurer Arun Dhumal said. Bangalore remain one of the will sit out games against Lan- cricket calendar for the eight- actually expecting the highest erful Indian board as the tour- “Looking at the overall three existing franchises never cashire (played yesterday) and team league, which is attended rating of IPL this season nament lost its title sponsor a picture, one should be happy to have won the tournament but Derbyshire on Sunday. by most of the world’s top because they believe if (people) month before its scheduled that at least something is hap- seem to have their addressed Yorkshire are fifth in the players. don’t turn up in the ground, they start. pening in this environment.” bowling woes to complement North Group with six points The matches will be held in will be actually watching on Amid a growing backlash There will, however, be batting strength. from eight matches. IPL SCHEDULE Skipper Sharma (FIRST FIVE MATCHES) says Mumbai IPL 2020 season QATAR TIME 1: September 19 in good spirits Mumbai Indians (MI) Vs Chennai DUBAI DUBAI: Factbox on the 13th Indian Premier League, which will Super Kings (CSK) in Abu Dhabi AFP - take place in the United Arab Emirates deu to the COVID-19 5:00 PM pandemic and runs from Sept. 19 to Nov. 10 (teams ranked in 2: September 20 Mumbai Indians skipper Rohit order of last year’s finish): Sharma said yesterday that the Delhi Capitals (DC) Vs Kings XI IPL’s coronavirus bio-security MUMBAI INDIANS Punjab (KXIP) in Dubai 6:30 PM bubble was “mentally tough”, Last year: Champions 3: September 21 but the team was finding ways Best finish: Champions (2013, 2015, 2017, 2019) Sun Risers Hyderabad (SRH) Vs to stimulate players and keep Captain: Rohit Sharma Royal Challengers Bangalore in good spirits. Coach: Mahela Jayawardene (Fourth year) (RCB) in Dubai 6:30 PM The virus-delayed Marquee players: Chris Lynn, Rohit Sharma, Quinton de 4: September 22 Twenty20 tournament begins Kock, Ishan Kishan, Hardik Pandya, Krunal Pandya, Kieron Rajasthan Royals (RR) Vs tomorrow in the United Arab Pollard, Jasprit Bumrah, James Pattinson, Nathan Coulter-Nile, Chennai Super Kings (CSK) Emirates, with holders Trent Boult, Suryakumar Yadav, Sherfane Rutherford, Mitchell Sharjah 6:30 PM Mumbai playing the Chennai McClenaghan, Rahul Chahar. 5: September 23 Super Kings in the opener in CHENNAI SUPER KINGS Abu Dhabi. Australia’s Glenn Maxwell and Alex Carey pose with the trophy Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) Vs Last year: Runners-up Teams in the world’s after winning the match and the series against England at Old Mumbai Indians (MI) Abu Dhabi Best finish: Champions (2010, 2011, 2018) richest cricket competition Trafford, Manchester, on Wednesday night. 6:30 PM Captain: Mahendra Singh Dhoni must abide by strict guidelines, Coach: Stephen Fleming (10th year) leaving them encased in an Marquee players: Ambati Rayudu, Faf du Plessis, Murali isolation “bubble” with only Vijay, Ravindra Jadeja, Dwyane Bravo, Karn Sharma, Shane Marauding Maxwell breaks new hotel staff, their fellow com- Watson, Sam Curran, Mahendra Singh Dhoni, Shardul Thakur, petitors, and their similarly Josh Hazlewood, Piyush Chawla, Imran Tahir, Kedar Jadhav. quarantined family. DELHI CAPITALS ground after mental health battle “Mentally it is tough, but Last year: Third hats off to the team man- Best finish: Third (2009, 2012, 2019) agement,” Sharma said. Captain: Shreyas Iyer REUTERS - MELBOURNE faced, 92 fewer than his nearest He was recalled to the Aus- “In our hotel, they have Coach: Ricky Ponting (Third year) rival, England’s Jos Buttler. tralia squad for the white-ball created some amazing space Marquee players: Shreyas Iyer, Ajinkya Rahane, Prithvi Less than a year after with- “Everything pretty much tour of South Africa in February around where we can just Shaw, Rishabh Pant, Shikhar Dhawan, Axar Patel, Marcus drawing from cricket to tackle went to plan tonight, the way but had to withdraw to have chill, spend time with your Stoinis, Shimron Hetmyer, Alex Carey, Ishant Sharma, Kagiso mental health issues, master our partnership built was out- elbow surgery. family and relax. Rabada, Ravichandran Ashwin, Amit Mishra. blaster Glenn Maxwell has standing,” said Maxwell. The COVID-19 pandemic “We have been here for SUNRISERS HYDERABAD reached a higher plain in the “I feel like I’ve always then intervened, further almost three weeks and have Last year: Fourth one-day format while helping batted better for Australia when delaying his return. been in good spirits. Now it’s Best finish: Champions (2016) Australia turn the tables on we’ve been in a bit of trouble.” The prolonged lockdown in all about preparation and Captain: David Warner world champions England. Maxwell has always been a Victoria state, which has borne getting into that game phase Coach: Trevor Bayliss (First year) Maxwell’s 108 in a brilliant man in a hurry, often sacrificing the brunt of Australia’s mode.” Marquee players: David Warner, Manish Pandey, Kane 212-run partnership with Alex his wicket in a mad dash for COVID-19 infections, proved an The T20 league will be Williamson, Vijay Shankar, Virat Singh, Jonny Bairstow, Priyam Carey drove Australia to a middle order runs, but he had unlikely blessing for Maxwell, played behind closed doors at Garg, Mitchell Marsh, Wriddhiman Saha, Shreevats Goswami, three-wicket win in Manchester to be patient to seize his latest drawing him closer to short three UAE venues, including Sandeep Sharma, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Rashid Khan, Shahbaz on Wednesday and a 2-1 series chance after a rollercoaster format skipper and fellow Vic- Dubai and Sharjah.